History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Greenwich became peopled by an intelligent and sturdy class of settlers, who have left their imjjress upon their numerous descendants. Meetings were held and in 1606 a school-house was built, but no record or tradition tells us of ita location or who had the honor of wielding the pedagogue's sceptre. In 166!) a demand was made by Daniel Patrick, son of the pioneer, Capt. Daniel, for all the land which had been formerly owned by his father. A com- promise, however, was finally cflected, and for a horse, saddle and bridle, and fifty pounds he reliu/- quished "all his right, title, and interest in any land or estate in the .settlement." IIORSEXECK. West Greenwich (now the borough) was called "Horseneck," from a peninsula of high ground, now known as " Field Point," west of Cireenwich Harbor, and one and a half miles southwest of the borough, the peninsula having been a liorse pasture. Horseneck was purchased of tlic Imlians in 1672 by twenty-seven individuals, known as the "27 Pro- prietors of 1672," as follows: Ephraim Palmer, Jona- than Reynolds, or Renolds, John Hubbe (Hobby), ^ Stephen Sherwood, Joseph Mead, John Bowers, Joseph Finch, William Rundle, John Mead, John Astcn, Jeremiah Peck, John Palmer, Walter RutU'r. Samuel Peck, Joseph Seres, Angell Heuste<i, William Hul)l>ar(l, Samuel (iinkins (Jenkins), William Ratcrc, John Marshall, Jonathan Lockwood, John Renalds. Gershom Lockwood, James Seres, Thomas Close, Thomas Close, Jr., Daniel Smith. CIIUKCn MATTERS. The town now seemed to manifest d decided interest in church matters, and, although there had been oc- casional preaching prior to 1676, this year at a " full meeting" it was resolved to call a minister. .\ Mr. Nizwale was accordingly called, but, he not accepting, two years later, in 1678, a call was extended to Rev. Jeremiah Peck, of New Jersey, who was one of the twenty-seven proprietors mentioned above. He promjitly accepted the call, and in the fall of the same year settled in the town, receiving for his salary sixty pounds. THE FtRST .MARRI.ACiE, Etc. The first rcrnnlril marriage in the town is that of John Jlead, Jr., and Miss Ruth Hardey, by Rev. Mr. Peck, in 1681. In KiS.'i, Lieut. Lockwood dic<l, and the town jiassed resolutions of regret. In this year a saw- and grist-mill was erected at Dumpling Pond. In 1686 the Indians sold nearly their last acre of land in the town. These lamls were on the western bank of the Myanos, near its mouth. During the year 16.S7 permission was given to the citizens of the town to build fish-pounds un the sea- shore "anywhere outside ye feeULs." John Mead, Jr., was elected constable, then the most remuncra- - ::?<^- '^'■■'<.\:^J<^'. ** V. ■ fv.- 4^ Residence of SAMUEL ADAM mmL^' :f££/viA//c/i Fairfield Co Coiin. GREENWICH. 3G9 tive as well as iiuportant cittice in tlio .^il'l of tlir tuwii. GersliDiii Lockwood and liis lirotlicr ^V illiaia dui-injj; this year a.itri'ed to buihl a bridge across the Jlyanos at Dumpling Pond, and receive in payment whatever tin: ttjWH should sec fit to rjire after tlic worl: was done. EARLY VOTERS. In l(iS.'< the- legal voters numbered about lifty, ami the settlement had increased to three hundred iidiab- itants. The tbllowing is a list of the legal voters in 1688 : " .Tonathan Lockwood, Angell Heusted, Josepli Mead, John Mead, Joseph Ferris, John Renalds, John Hubbe, Meriani Hubert, Jeames Ferris, Jona- than Renalds, John Bowers, Josepli Finch, ^leriam Hubert, Jr., Thomas Lyon, John Banks, Tlionias Close, Frances Thorne, Nathaniel Howe, Joseph Palmer, William Rundle, fxershom Lockwood, .Tolin Marshall, Daniel Smith, Jonathan Huested, Ebenezer Mead, Eiihraim Palmer, Jeames I'almer, Walter Butler, .Samuel Peck, Rev. Jeremiah Peck, John Mead, Jr., Henwe Rich, Jonathan Mead, Joshua Knajjp, (ieorge Hubliert, .Toseph Huested, Angell Husted, Jr., ,I<ihn Renalds, Jr., Peter Ferris, Thomas Hubbe, John llulilie, .Jr., Job Ferris, Jonatlian Lock- wood, Robert Lockwood, Caleb Peck, Joseph Jlead, John Mead's son, Jo.seph Mead, Joseph Mead's son, Joseph Knapp, Jr., John Tash." In ll!89 it is voted that "ye towne per vote hathe agreed to liye a bulle." In 1(591 it was voted to have a new »icetiiir/-/ij)iise ; and John Jlead, Sr., Jolm Mead, Jr., John Hubbe, Daniel Smith, and Samuel Peck were ai)pointed a committee to procure mate- rials and Iniild the house. A subsequent meeting m.ade its dimensions thirty-two feet long, twenty-si.x feet wide, and fifteen feet high. A controversy wliich lasted for years c<jneerning the site delayed the put- ting up of the building. It was finally built upon a small rise of ground northwest of the old biirying- grounil in Old (.Ireenwieh. TOWN-LIST FOR YEARS W.H-'Ji. The following exhibit shows the com])arative wealth of the town in Ki'Jl and Kilto : i s. (I. John UnniU.' lui In il Samuel IVck »1 n II .Iiwi'lih Ferris l.'il 0 II .liUiU'M Ferris ami Stm lii:l II II 3!.il)cit LcHliwiK..! Ill II II .I.Miiith.in Ili'UBti-cl "7 II II J.wi'pli Finch ami Son 111.') II li .Icihu llohhy 114 l.'. II Ant^fdl IleuBted anil Sun Xi 10 II .Tohn IlouBtcd :»l II II Samuel Ileiistei] 4.t 11) II Miisea Ferris 22 0 II IJenjamiii Ferris 24 I) ii fiershom Lockwood & Son l.'i:! l."i H -InsL'ith Knnpp ^ 7;t II n Jonathan Handle 47 .'■ II Benjamin Mcuil S7 " II Haniel Smith & .Son in! » H William Rundle liii 1" I) William Hnhlnirt 4il I" » Itiith .Mead, willow of .lohn Mead 22 111 II llaniel M(.a<l 42 n 11 Ziiehariali Mead :ill II " Caleb Knapp :i',l 111 II Thomas Marshall :14 il II F.heliezer Mead lllil In II Joseph Me.id, the tanner 4.') Ill II £ ». .;. .lon.athan Whelplev 4.'. li n J.diii Marshall i S..n icr, In li llenrvRich :» HI » John Ferris .V> il 11 Joseph I'almer :is 12 II Jonathan Blead 4."i " " ,Iohn Marshall, .Ir r.'.l n n John Rundle ,« Son 4:i 14 D Nathaniel .Mead :ill II n 'I'iinothy Knapp 47 .'■ II John Austen 31 11 II .Joseph Finch, Jr 211 n II Caleb Peek 2K ii ii Thonuaa Close, Jr 2ii n n Joseph Heusted 54 ii n Thomas Hobliv .i4 In <i Ehenezer Kundle -'ill n n Stephen Holmes ;U o " Thomas Close, Sr Wl " '> Angell Heusted, Jr 41 " " ElishaMead :W n " Thomas Studwell 3li n » William Palmer 31 .Tohn Kundle, Jr .M •'■ " James Ferris, Jr 4ll In n Thomas BuUer 21 n n Gershom Lockwood, Jr 47 n n Joseph Lockwood 2.'i n n Benjamin Knapp 31 II n lieiijamin Hohhy 211 II n Joshua ICnapp o4 n n Samuel Mead XI 1" d Joseph Studwell IS n II .lohn Ranks 7i; In n Samuel Ly..n. »S HI n Thomas Lyon ."^^7 12 n Joseph Slead, «(j/ i/(e ^niMcr 2.'> II n Joseph (_'lose 24 n n Total 2ISS S 11 The selectmen for this year were Daniel Smith, Jonathan Heusted, Joseph Finch, ami John Hubbe. In 17o;i it was voted that the town-meetings be held one-half of the time at " Horseneck." Prior to this time the meetings had been held at " Old (ireen- wich." The following are extr.icts from the records: " .\t a Town meeting hareins Date May ye :'. 1704 the town taking into ciMisideration that which hath formerly been Ilcui by ye towne in order to Mr. Nattianiel Bowers setling in the towne hath been ineffectual & considering Mr. bowei-shath luomised to setel at Horsneck if yeinlmbi- tants did not call him to otBco on ye Eiust sid Jlianiis rivor &. being in- formed mr. bowers Designs to leave ye town these things considel-ed ye h)wne jir vote see cans k reson to invite Mr. Bower to setle at Greenwich towne plott on ye west side Miamis river which if 5Ir Bowers sees cause to except. Then ye town doth jiromis & Ingage to make suitable pruve- sion for himself & for selling him in his ministerial oftiee." " At a town meeting, December ye 111 : 17n4 : The Town per vi>te grant Liberty unto Corinal hethcut to build tow small sloops sum wlieie about Mianos river." " Furthermore, moved yetowiieput it to vot whether ."Mr. Uiwers should have lifty-five pounds, and it p-asses in the Negative. " Furthermore, ye town pr vot t\v not lli-sire .Mr. Bowei-s to continue any longer in ye work of ye ministrye in Greenwich." " Furlhermore.ye Town per vot grant Liberty unto ye inhabitants on ye east sid mianus to bueld a mill upon any strem where they shall think convenient. " Furthermore, the Town per vot do giant Liberty unto the inhabitants of greenwich living on the west side Miunus river, to build a tide mill upon Stieklin brook or Coscoh river themselves or to iinploy som other pui-son whom they shall think titt and likcwist^ Do grant them use of yo stri-ams for that end." '• At a meeting of yo Inhabitants of ye town of Greenwich on ye west Bide of Myanos river legally named and met on ye nineteenth day of June, 170.">. Whereas, yesd inhabitants have had a grant from yi- town at a town meeting on ye 9th day of January 17(1-1 of ye stream of ye tide or creek of Coscoh river to own a grist mill, or iinploy whom the see cause therein the sd inhabitants have granted sd stream to Mr. .loseph Morgan to huild a grist mill, and do therein oblige him, his heairs and asines to grind for ye inhabitants of ye towne of Greeiiwiidi for alx-ut one 12 part ofallthe grain and do grant that toll ami do oblige him and his heaires asigns, to grind for said inhabitants what gniin they bring to mill 370 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. on Tuesdays and FriJays forthwith not to hinder them for strangore nnJ do oblige him Ilis heainiand successors liy virtue of ye grant to keep a suthcicnt hous for to secure ye gnun y t is brought to s<l mill." THE FRENCH WAR.